Sheet-metal ball-retainer for ball-bearings.



, c. a. SO'DERLUND. SHEET METAL BALL RETAINER FOR BALL BEARINGS.

APPLICATION F|LED APR-28' 1915- I Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

AL V, e l w m w m d .r o m C whijt ll iiiiht ii CARL GUSTAF SK J DEEJL'UHD,

rt l a i ll yititi iitih'n specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Aug:

Application filed April 28, 1915. Serial No. fl t/. 31.

To (IZZ whom it; concern:

it kncwnf, that L CARL G-Us'rA'r Sense norm, engineer, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Gottenborg, in the county of Gottenborg and Bohus and Kingdom of Sweden, have invented new and use "Ful improvements in and Relating to Sheetlilctal Ball-Retainers for Ball-Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates .to ball bearings with single set of balls and has for its object to provide a bali retainer or cage of metal plates, which can easily be inserted into or removed'irom the bearin Another object of my said invention is a, ball retainer of sheet metal Which' permits the hearing to be supplied with considerably more balls than is possible in connection with any other sheet metal ally retainer; hitherto known to me.

it is known to use ball cages of thin metal strips situated each between two adjacent balls, bent clown toward the balls to prevent them from falling out -Such cages how-- ever do not allow the balls to be drawn more closely together than. the thictrness of metal strips. I ain also aware that it has earlier been proposed to make ball cages of wires wound to circular loops adapted to form seats for adja ent balls. The cages of sheet metal howercg present a plurality of advantages as compared with those oi wire especially in connection with the mode of manulhcture, as it has been found easier to construct a cage of sheet metal than 015 wire, and also to introduce cages oi the first mentioned type between the balls and, conse quently my iiuiu'ovcd sheet retainer indicates a distinct advance in connection with hair bearings oi the type referred to.

it v iurention consists thereiin that the ot' sheet metal which are interposed between two adjacent bal s, are proa each Jiilezl each with a hole of circular neerly circular shape and adapted to serve as a seat for the adjacent balls, from which hole out to the edge the strip is out into two wings by a slot such slot ser t introducing; the balls into the cage.

Referring to the accou'ipanying drawing Figure lrshows a portion of the cage with the balls inserted and suitable for thrust bearingsaiul Fig. 1 a similar View suitable to;- radia bearings. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate in section four somewhat dilierent modifications of the cage for radial bearings.

' as a channel when;

Fig. 8 a section ofthe cage for thrust bearings and '4', 8 and 9 side elevations of a cage partly in section and illustrating three somewhat different forms,

The cage consists in a plurality of metal strips Z) interposed each between two adjacent balls rt and provided each with a cir collar or nearly circular hole 0, which surrounds a peripheral portion of of two adjacent balls a, forming a seat-for said balls.

The strips 2) are at equidistant points at tached to a ring member 6 encircling the whole set of balls and which may be constructed in diiierent ways without departing from the spirit of this invention. For in: stance the strips 7) consist in angle pieces the foot 7" 01'? which. is'attached to the ring member 6 by the bent over edges of same (Fig. 2). in Fig. 3 there is illustrated another mode of construction according to which the ring member a is replaced by two parallel wires c e and the strips Z) provided with two borings or sleeve shaped portions adapted to be penetrated by the wires. The ring member also may be con structed of a" singleinetal strip (Fig. 4') or a single wire 5) The strips 7) a "e each cut into two wings It by a slot 71 from the hole 0 out to the edge of the strip, which slots perailel. to the asis t the bearing; and a little narrower th 21 the diameter or". the holes a. For thrust bearings the ring member (1 is situated out-' side or inside the set of balls, with the strips" projecting-r radially inward or outward respectively, while For radial bearing the ring member a has place on the one side of the of balls in a radial piane,

Whcn the cage ready to be mounted in the bearing, the strips o are stiil in the same n? i after that the in the bearing en a, way that each The bails are first placed into their n between two adjacent inserting of the strips will be much facilitated.

\Vhen in place the cage touches all the balls at three points, viz. at the ring member 6 and at the two opposite strips 7). In order to prevent the balls from falling out the strips are bent down toward the balls, with the two wings 2', In of each strip F) in opposite directions, each toward its own ball (see Figs. 1, 1, 7 and 8). Each ball thus will be embraced by a wing i from one strip 7 at the one side and a wing 70 from another strip 6 at the diametrically opposite side.

I have experienced that my here described ball retainerowing to the slots h in combination with the circular holes 0* allows a bearing of a certain diameter to be supplied with about 17 more balls (j the same size than it is possible with a y other sheet metal balh cage known to me. For instance, in a bearing with a cage of a known type it was possible to insert oii-ly 12'balls of 19 m/m diameter, while I was able. to increase the number to 14 balls of the said diameter when using my improved ball retainer, a result, which cannot be reached Otherwise and which must be reckoned as an important technical advance, since the usefulness of a ball bearing in a considerable degree influenced by the number and size of balls in the bearing.

Having thus describeth and ascertained my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l, A ball retainer, for ball bearings, consisting of a ring member, and a series of metal strips, arranged equidistantly thereon, provided with open ended slots which enable said ring member and strips to be simultaneously placed in position in the bearing with a metal strip between each pair of adjacent balls, the slots being of a suflicicnt width to allow the balls to project beyond the surfaces of the metal strips and the walls of the slots forming seats for the balls. 4 j

'2. In a ball bearing a ball retainer coinprising a ring member and a series of metal strips arranged equidistantly on said member, each strip being adapted to engage be tween a pair of adjacent balls and having slots running inward from an edge remote from saida'i'ng member, the slots being of a sufiicient width to allow the balls to pro ject beyond the surfaces of the metal strips and the walls of the slots forming seats for the balls.

3. In a ball bearing a ball retainer comprising a ring member and a series of metal strips arranged equidistantly on said member, each strip being adapted to engage between a pair of adjacent balls and having slots running inward from the edge opposite to the said ring member, the slots being of sufficient width to allow the balls to project beyond the surfaces of the metal strips and the walls of the slots forming seats for the balls. 4. In a ball bearing a ball retainer comprising a ring member and a series of metal strips arranged equidistantly on said member, each strip being adapted to engage between a pair of adjacent balls and being provided with a central hole the edge of which forms a seat for the two adjacent balls, and also being slotted from said hole to an edge remote from said ring.

A ball retainer, for ball bearings, eonsistimg-ol a ring member and a series of metal strips arranged equidistantly thereon, each of said strips having wings, formed by a. slot extending from the center to the edge of the strip, adapted to be bent down in opposite directions toward adjacent balls when the retainer is in position with a strip located between each pair of adjacent balls, the slots being of a suilicient width to allow the balls to project beyond the surfaces of the metal strips and the walls of the slots forming seats for the balls.

(5. A ball retainer, for ball bearings having a single set of balls, comprising a ring member, metal strips attached at equidistant points to said member around the set of balls and provided each with a circular hole the edge of which constitutes a seat for the adjacent balls, and also divided into two wings by a slot from said hole out to the edge of the metal strip, said wings being bent down in opposite directions toward adjacent balls so that each ball rests embraced between two diametrically opposed bent down wings.

In testimony whereof I' have herepnto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL (EUSTAF SUDERLUND.

Witnesses:

lhnc Mnumnxu, IAIUN Iuzcnas. 

